Dr. Golden Wright

Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication

Began working at Lamar University in 2006

‘I was familiar with Lamar University because I went to Sam Houston State University were both in the Southland conference and I was familiar with them because we play them in different sports and various aspects. Alice House who works here – she was a faculty member in the dance program was pursuing her MFA in dance the same time I was and we did our thesis concerts the same night. We took multiple classes together and she invited me to bring choreography for their spring concerts and this was right after Rita hit. The show actually was down in Port Arthur at the Lamar State College Port Arthur stage. She invited me to bring a piece of my choreography that I had taken to American Colleges Dance Association South Central Conference. She saw me there and said why don’t you bring it and put it on our concert. I came down here, she got married and moved to Washington DC and suggested that I apply for the position and so I applied for the position and ended up getting hired here in fall of 2006. I came in as a visiting lecturer. I wanted to figure out what kind of faculty member I wanted to be wanted to be: an educator and also be a lifelong learner. I was a visiting lecturer and instructor. I then applied for tenure-track position, a tenure-track assistant professor, went on to get tenure and became an associate professor, applied for full the same time I graduated with my doctorate in educational leadership from Lamar University. This particular university has affected my life in a number of positive ways and one of them being as an educator it nurtured me into being the faculty member I am now, it built a community around me, I have friends all across campus and in the community that I am supportive of them and they are supportive of me. I am also proud to be a Card! Being an alum from this institution and being a department chair of Theater and Dance and now I am the Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication. So, most of my career has been here. I am part of performances, part of presentations, dinners, donor appreciation, athletic events, so this has kind of encompassed a lot of my life over the last 17 years and has become home. I have performed in many concerts. I just choreographed the half-time show for the band that they’re working on right now. I performed on our concert a year and a half ago. I went and performed at Victoria … most of the stuff that I do now is more contemporary work. So, last April, the Provost and the President approached me about being the chairperson for the Centennial celebration that took place. I oversaw that event. I had a number of people that were really wonderful in making that event be the success that it was. I am really appreciative of the faculty, staff, and students that were part of the creation of it. I’m so appreciative of the community and everybody that came out here. It was great to have the Speaker (Dade Phelan, the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives) here, the Chancellor, the President. I thought it was a wonderful day. My vision of that particular event was to provide a platform for current students, alums, staff, faculty and administrators, the Southeast Texas community not just Beaumont, Beaumont plays a big part of it, there’s lots of areas around, so I’m really pleased with the outcome of that event. It was gratifying being able to lead that and be a part of it. I am proud to be a Card!